We've seen a series of posts over the years here at Pinstripe Alley from numerous different writers explaining how they would like the MLB to format the regular season schedule and standings, as well as the playoffs. I've written over 1,000 posts for SB Nation, so to be honest I have no idea if I have written this type of post before. If I have and it appears like my mind has changed, that's because it has.
The current lunacy that is the interleague play between two leagues with different rules needs to change. While fans may be upset about a change that drastic, the two leagues should play with the same rules, considering they all are in the MLB, which is more important than the AL/NL. To be honest I much prefer the DH for all teams over pitchers hitting for all leagues, but I'd rather pitchers hit for all teams than the two leagues have different rules.
As for the scheduling, I feel like playing the Red Sox almost twenty times a season takes some of the dramatic flair out of the rivalry. A schedule that includes teams playing teams in their own division six times at home and six times on the road would improve the rivalries, while not taking away too much from the fans that do enjoy the teams playing each other as much as they do now.
Other than in division matchups, the league can schedule the rest of the league however and I would be happy with it, as the leagues would have the same rules. I much prefer intraleague play over interleague play, but I understand the other side of that argument as well.
Follow me after the jump for my playoff idea
While divisions can exist for scheduling purposes, my playoff format would include the top four teams in each league making the playoffs. Whether that's four AL Central teams and four NL West teams, or two AL East, two AL West, two NL East, and two NL Central, or anything, the best teams deserve to make the playoffs. On the same note, the one seed should play the four seed whether they are in the same division or not, as the matchups say they deserve to play each other.Finally, for home field advantage in the World Series, two random fans from states that do not have MLB teams should play rock paper scissors. That would be about as fair as the current rule is!